- The FBI warns that criminals are using GenAI deepfakes in kidnapping and extortion scams
- Attackers generate fake “proof of life” videos from social media images and demand ransom
- Citizens are advised to limit online exposure, set family passwords and verify loved ones before paying
Hackers use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to create convincing deepfake videos, which are then used as proof of life in kidnapping and extortion scams.
This is according to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which recently released a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) warning citizens not to fall for the trick.
How the scam works: The criminals choose a target and scour social media and other sources for photos and videos. If they find enough information, they will feed it into an AI tool to create videos and photos that show their target’s loved ones as kidnapped. They will then reach out to the victims and demand an immediate ransom to “release” their hostage.
how to defend
The scam may not be that widespread, but it has been around for a while. The Guardian reported on it two years ago. Still, with AI getting better by the minute, it’s safe to assume these scams will become more common, prompting a response from the FBI.
The FBI also said that these photos and videos are not perfect. With a little pixel hunting, they can be identified as fake. But bad guys know this too, so the messages they send are usually timed and expire before any meaningful analysis can be done:
“Examples of these inaccuracies include missing tattoos or scars and inaccurate body proportions,” the PSA reads. “Criminal actors will sometimes purposefully send these images using timed messaging features to limit the amount of time victims have to analyze the images.”
To defend against these attacks, the FBI first suggests that citizens should be more mindful of their privacy: when posting photos online or when giving personal information to strangers while traveling. Then they suggest that they establish a password that only they know and most importantly – try to contact their loved ones before making any payments.
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